Skip to main content
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
MD Education

Professional Behavior & Moral Reasoning

Our graduates will demonstrate a commitment to professional responsibilities and behavior as well as the ability to understand, reflect upon and integrate ethical and moral dimensions of healthcare.

Expand the entries below to learn more about benchmarks in these competencies.

 PBMR - 1

Identify, analyze and justify appropriate ethical choices in the care of individual patients and their families, and recognize legal constraints on such choices.

  • Does Not Meet: Unable to identify any ethical choices or legal constraints in patient scenarios.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies and performs basic analyses of the key ethical issues and legal constraints in individual patient care, and justifies a decision.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex case studies and clinical experience, and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments. 
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex case studies and clinical experience, and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments. 
  • Aspirational Behavior: Identifies and analyzes major and minor ethical issues and options, anticipates and responds to counterarguments in complex case studies and clinical experience, and justifies a decision. Teaches this to colleagues. 

 PBMR - 2

Identify, analyze and justify appropriate ethical choices in the healthcare systems in which students work, and recognize legal constraints on such choices.

  • Does Not Meet: Unable to identify any ethical choices or legal constraints in healthcare systems.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies and performs basic analyses of the key ethical issues and legal constraints in healthcare systems, and justifies a decision.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex systemic contexts of health care delivery, and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments. 
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Identifies and analyzes major ethical issues and options in complex systemic contexts of health care delivery, and justifies a decision in response to some counterarguments. 
  • Aspirational Behavior: Identifies and analyzes major and minor ethical issues and options, and anticipates and responds to counterarguments in the complex systemic contexts of health care delivery, and justifies a decision. Teaches this to colleagues. 

 PBMR - 3

Display honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion toward others (patients, families, faculty, staff, etc.), regardless of gender, race, religion, ideology, socioeconomic status, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation or ability to pay.

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of dishonesty, lack of integrity or disrespect toward others.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Behaves with honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion toward all patients, families, students, faculty, and members of the healthcare team.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Behaves with honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion toward all patients, families, students, faculty, and members of the healthcare team.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Behaves with honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion toward all patients, families, students, faculty, and members of the healthcare team.
  • Aspirational Behavior: In the face of personal and political consequences, is willing to stand up against breaches in respect or compassion toward others.

 PBMR - 4

Identify, analyze and justify appropriate ethical choices in the design and conduct of research, and recognize legal constraints on such choices.

  • Does Not Meet: Unable to identify ethical issues in the design and conduct of research.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies ethical issues in the design and conduct of research.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Identifies ethical issues in the design and conduct of research.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Identifies ethical issues in the design and conduct of research.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Designs and conducts ethical research and teaches others how to do so.

 PBMR - 5

Display accountability and dependability.

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of lack of accountability or dependability and corrects when pointed out.
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Behaves with accountability and dependability.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Consistently accountable and dependable in challenging situations.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Consistently accountable and dependable in challenging situations.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Consistently accountable and dependable in challenging situations.

 PBMR - 6

Demonstrate respect for privacy, protect confidentiality, and maintain security of the data of patients and families.

  • Does Not Meet: Exhibits specific episodes of violation of privacy and confidentiality. 
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Respects the privacy and maintains the confidentiality of patients and families.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Respects and helps others maintain the privacy and confidentiality of patients and families.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Respects and helps others maintain the privacy and confidentiality of patients and families.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Maintains privacy and confidentiality and articulates their importance in clinical situations and when teaching others.

 PBMR - 7

Demonstrate initiative and responsibility in daily professional tasks including participation in learning activities, class presentations and patient care.

  • Does Not Meet: Does not consistently take initiative for own learning and patient care. 
  • Phase 1 Benchmark: Consistently takes initiative for own learning and patient care.
  • Phase 2 Benchmark: Takes initiative for own learning and patient care in challenging or complex situations.
  • Phase 3 Benchmark: Takes initiative for own learning and patient care in challenging or complex situations.
  • Aspirational Behavior: Takes initiative for own learning and patient care in challenging or complex situations.